Beautiful Souls

Chrystal Winter's life is about to change forever. Fleeing from her dark past and her former self, she finds her self making a small but successful living in sunny LA. Whereupon, she meets the young, wild force of nature that is Ashton Irwin. Immediately drawn to one another but for what reasons? Chrystal's heart isn't the only thing she's desperate to keep secret...

5. Chapter 5

It was 9.52 and Chrystal was ready. She looked at her reflection approvingly in the mirror. She looked good. She had curled her hair and wore it half up and half down- it made her look girly and young. She done her eye make up dark and dramatic and her red painted lips screamed out at her. Everything about tonight's outfit screamed "dangerous" and she loved it. It was almost ten, Kelly would be here any minute.

She scurried around her room, packing everything she needed into her black clutch. Sheepishly, she slipped her feet into her sky high Louboutin's. She had only ever worn them twice and they killed her feet for days after. Beauty is pain, She thought wildly, grinning to herself. Just then a car beeped outside. She glanced at her watch and it red 9:57. She smiled, Kelly was always on time, another quality she loved about her crazy best friend. Quickly she left her flat, locked up and ran- well more like hobbled- to her friends car.

"You look great!" Kelly gushed. Chrystal took a moment to asses her friends outfit. She wore a green silky dress that stopped mid thigh, which showed off her beautiful copper skin. Her hair was up but still wild and curly as always. Her brown eyes wide and full of excitement. "Could say the same about you, sexy," she said, poking Kelly playfully in the ribs. "Oh stop it!" She giggled, speeding away from the flat and out into the busy streets of LA.

"So, where we going?" Chrystal asked curiously. Silence from Kelly. "You know I love this song," she said, turning up the volume of the radio. "Kelly..." Chrystal said, warning. Kelly looked at her sheepishly. "Lorenzo's" she muttered. "What! Kelly! Are you insane! We'll never get in!" She shouted. Great, night ruined. She had more chance of growing wings and flying than getting into Lorenzo's. "I know a guy, and he knows a guy, who's put our names on a list, and we just need to ask the guy to, ya know, let us in," Kelly confidently explained. "You better," Chrystal said, rolling her eyes. Kelly nudged her and fluttered her eyelashes at her until Chrystal finally laughed and shook her head. "You're impossible." "And that's why you love me," Kelly half sang, dancing along to the radio.

As expected, the queue for Lorenzo's was at least 40 minutes long. You had to be a pretty big deal to get in here, and Chrystal knew fine well, she was not. She felt ridiculously self conscious as she and Kelly made their way towards the front of the queue to talk to the huge, terrifying bouncer. Kelly seemed perfectly at ease with situating chatting animatedly with the security, even laughing and joking. Chrystal just wanted to go back to the car, the looks she was getting from the people in the queue were murderous. She didn't belong here. "In you go Kelly, you and your friend have a good time, and be safe!" The bouncer boomed in his loud, rough voice. What? We're in? Kelly shrieked excitedly and pulled Chrystal through the door and toward a flight of black marble stairs. She couldn't help but laugh when she heard the moans and protests from the people behind her.

"Enjoy Lorenzo's!" A perky, and ridiculously pretty blonde said, as she secured a wristband around each of their wrist. Entry was free, surprisingly. Chrystal suspected it had something to do with Kelly, who was easily snaking her way through the crowd and towards the bar. She tried to follow but clumsily tripped over three people in the process. "Sorry," she repeated. Hardly keeping her balance. When finally reached the bar, Kelly was already hitting it off with some tall handsome dude. God, she was good. "Great," Chrystal sighed. This was going to be a long night, she needed a drink. Now.

She ordered three sambuca shots and was just about to neck her third when a voice stopped her. "Drowning your sorrows?" The voice was dark and familiar. Shit. Every muscle in her body froze and she turned to look up into his golden, brown eyes. He was laughing at her, again. "What are you doing here?" She demanded. "I could ask you the same," he said, he gave her a long look up and down, drinking in her appearance. She shuddered and turned away from him. "I'm here with a friend, we're having a night out. Something I don't enjoy often," it was easier to talk when she didn't need to look at him. "Hmmm... I see. I'm here with friends too," he said sliding closer to her, so there arms were touching. She felt the same electricity she felt in the car hum between them. She gasped and quickly necked her last shot, it burning her throat and making her eyes water. "You might want to slow down with them," he said, eyeing the empty glass. "I'm a grown woman, I'll drink what I please," she said smiling, looking up at him ever so sweetly. She held his eyes for a moment, before turning back to look for Kelly. The alcohol was hitting her already, she was feeling a lot more confident than earlier. She really ought to slow down on those.

"Well, I'm a grown man and I'm buying myself and vodka and coke. Want one?" He asked, politely this time. She looked at him and nodded, "sure." She watched him and took a chance to check him out as he spoke with the bar man. He was wearing black, tight jeans and a red checked shirt. He looked good, mouth wateringly good. His strong jaw had the lightest shadow of stubble and something inside her made her want to reach out and touch it. To run her fingers along his jaw, down his throat... Her breath hitched and she had to look away. God, he was so handsome.

"For you, my lady," he said, flashing a heartbreaking smile in her direction, and pushing the drink towards her clenched fist. She quickly opened it, stretching her sore fingers out. She hadn't even realised she had her hands balled up so tightly. Everything about this man wound her up. She hated it. "Thanks," she said shyly, bringing the drink to her lips. They looked at each other for a long moment before he spoke. "You know, you aren't that half bad when you're nice," he said. He was staring at her mouth and she licked her lips automatically. "I suppose you're alright. You have bought me two drinks now," she said looking at her fingers. "You never called," his voice was serious now. Her heart dropped. " I had no reason to," she explained, playing nervously with her fingers. "Now we both know that's a lie." Chrystal snorted and rolled her eyes. Suddenly he had taken hold of her jaw with two fingers and was looking deeply into her eyes. She gasped but never moved. His eyes were burning into hers and she felt her face heat. He was so close she could smell his sweet breath with a hint of alcohol and his cologne. She was drowning in it, her head was getting light. She hadn't dared breath, dared to move. And his eyes were still probing down into hers. He was coming closer. Closer still, she was going to faint. Oh please don't let me faint, she thought wildly.

"Chrystal!" And like that the spell was broken, he realised her jaw and she could breathe again. She gulped in the air greedily and turned to see who had called her name. Kelly was looking over all bug-eyed a full of questions. Chrystal simply shook her head. She turned to say goodbye to Ashton but he was gone. Weird. She took several breaths to steady herself before she picked up her drink and found Kelly. Her head was still spinning. Maybe it's just the alcohol, she thought. But deep down she knew it was him. How could this stranger have such an affect on her. "And what was that!?" Kelly said, her mouth hanging open. Chrystal just shrugged and glanced around the busy club. There was so many people here, she'd never find him. Her heart suddenly sank. No, don't think of him. Get drunk and have a good time. Forget him.